The religious elite repudiated Jesus (vv. 1-4); the disciples lacked sufficient faith in him to understand his most basic warnings (vv. 5-12). But now, informed by Jesus’ works (14:33) and perhaps by a new understanding of Jesus’ role vis-a-vis that of their people’s religious establishment (16:1- 12), the disciples are on the verge of a new level of revelation. Even at this point, however, they do not fully understand their Master’s mission (vv. 21-28).
Outsiders’ recognition of Jesus as a prophet is inadequate (16:14); those who follow Jesus closely know him as the Christ, God’s Son (vv. 15-16). Herod Antipas thought Jesus was John (14:2); many Jewish people anticipated the return of Elijah and other prophets like Baruch. Viewing Jesus in such terms thus fit him into categories of thought that already existed, rather than letting the Lord redefine their categories by his identity. Peter did not receive his revelation from man. Peter’s understanding of Jesus’ identity came by divine revelation, undoubtedly including God’s revelation through Jesus’ miraculous acts. This revelation of Jesus’ identity was foundational for God’s purposes in history.
Jesus then plays on Simon’s nickname, Peter, which would be roughly the English “Rocky”: Peter is rocky, and on this rock Jesus will build his church. Further, Jesus does not say, “You are Peter, but on this rock I will build my church”; he says, And on this rock I will build my church. Jesus’ teaching is the ultimate foundation for our lives, but here Peter functions as the foundation rock like the apostles and prophets in Ephesians 2:20-21. Jesus does not simply assign this role to Peter arbitrarily, however; Peter is the “rock” because in this context he is the one who confesses Jesus as the Christ. Others who share his proclamation also share his authority in building the church. The church will endure until Christ’s return, and no opposition, even widespread martyrdom of Christians or the oppression of the final antichrist, can prevent the ultimate triumph of God’s purposes in history.
The authority belongs not only to Peter but to all who share his proclamation of Jesus’ identity. Whether Peter thus acts as “prime minister” for the kingdom or perhaps as a “chief rabbi” making religious rulings based on Jesus’ teachings, he clearly acts with enough delegated authority. Whereas Israel’s religious elite was shutting people out of the kingdom, those who confessed Jesus’ identity along with Peter were authorized to usher people into God’s kingdom. Peter must thus accept into the church only those who share his confession of Jesus’ true identity (16:16). Of course the church should emulate Jesus’ practice of welcoming the unconverted (9:10), but this is not the same as acting as if all comers were true Disciples of Christ regardless of their commitment. Today some churches both admit into membership the unconverted and fail to take the message of Jesus’ identity to the unconverted outside their walls. The danger of building a church on those not committed to Christ’s agendas is that in time the church will reflect more of the world’s values than Christ’s.